by Daydreamer on May 31st, 2005

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What's the origin of the use of showing the middle finger as an offensive gesture?

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Answers. 27 helpful answers below.

by Crazed_Wiseman on May 16th, 2009
when archers were caught their middle finger was cut off so they could no longer shoot people with a bow and arrow. When the archers were not caught, they gave the enemy the middle finger to mock them.
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- I've never heard that one!
  
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  by Kewl Guy - has gone 360 on May 16th, 2009
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by x-narpolax on April 5th, 2009
I don't know all the details, but Indians use there middle finger to shot a bow. When white man came to the Americas, they would cut off the middle finger of the Indians. Later on, Indians would raise there middle finger to the white man as an insult, showing they still had theirs.

This is what I was told so please don't mark me down if I'm wrong, just let me know.
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- You are wrong.
  
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  by The Special One on April 5th, 2009
- Please elaborate.
  
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  by x-narpolax on April 5th, 2009
- Yes, do. If Stryker is wrong, you must know the answer.
  
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  by Arisztid on April 5th, 2009
- Oh, I thought you only wanted to know if you were wrong or not...
  
  There is an urban legend that during (insert your favorite Anglo-French war here) the French would cut off the middle fingers of the English, thus making them incapable of using their bows. In turn, the English would taunt the French by showing them theirs. But alas, it's a terrible lie. The Greeks used the middle finger as an insult long before these wars (and wrote about it), so it's pretty safe to assume that "the finger" didn't originate during the wars.
  
  Your variant occurs even later in history than the Anglo-French theory, so...yea. Feel free to call out your history teacher next time he tries to trick your class.
  
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  by The Special One on April 5th, 2009
- Thanks!
  
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  by x-narpolax on April 5th, 2009
- No problem. Not sure how this urban legend picked up so much steam, but it seems that most people believe it. There are actually quite a few amusing urban legends, if you go to a college town you'll undoubtedly hear that ::insert sorority of choice:: can't house more than ::insert arbitrary number:: girls otherwise it's legally considered a brothel. Yea, not true.
  
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  by The Special One on April 5th, 2009
- Actually, the Special One, you're not entirely correct either. In the French v. English urban legend it wasn't just the middle finger. Traditionally both the middle and index finger were cut off. Thus, in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand (aka old British colonies), making the "V" symbol with back of the hand facing out is a similar insult to the middle finger: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_sign_as_an_insult#V_sign_as_an_insult
  
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  by hedge-rider on April 6th, 2009
- Well yes, one side would cut off the middle finger and the other side would cut off the index and middle finger, as the legend goes. But since it's neither factual nor was it asked about, I didn't bring it up.
  
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  by The Special One on April 6th, 2009
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by Kierafaye on May 16th, 2008
during the revolution, french against english they used that finger to pull back the string to the bow and arrow so when an english soldier was captured they would cut off that finger so they couldnt use a bow again so when english soldiers saw french soldiers, as a kind of victory symbol would show them they still have their middle finger

http://arrogantpolyglot.blogspot.com/2006/07/history-of-middle-finger.html
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- Wow thats really interesting.
  
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  by ImNotAnonymous-COAT of Maestro-ness on May 16th, 2008
- I will drink to that.
  
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  by tattoomikey on May 16th, 2008
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by ggonnigan on May 31st, 2005
The origins of this gesture are highly speculative. It is identified as the digitus impudicus ("impudent finger") in Ancient Roman writings. It was defined there as a gesture intended to insult another. It has been noted that the gesture resembles an erect penis. Ancient Romans considered an image of an erect phallus as a talisman against evil spells. As a consequence, displaying this gesture to another may not have been a pseudo-sexual insult but rather an insulting statement along the lines of � "I'm going to protect myself against your witchcraft, before you even start."

In Canada, showing the middle finger is called the Trudeau salute after Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau because of a famous photo of him giving the finger to some protesters. He was well known for telling people what he thought of them.

A popular, but apocryphal, story derives it from the gestures of English archers at Agincourt. The myth claims that the French cut off fingers from archers, and that the 'finger' was a sign of defiance by those who retained their fingers. The same story also claims that 'f*ck you' is a corruption of 'pluck yew' since bows were made of yew, or the phrase "I can still pluck you!". While it has been debunked many a time, this story still crops up.

Reference Link:

http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/middle_finger
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- Great answer, thanks! :-)
  
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  by Daydreamer on June 1st, 2005
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by Sid on July 4th, 2009
I didn't, though reading the other answers it is the same reason that I DID know why people give two fingers, as both fingers were used to pull back the longbow. I think the two fingers is more of a UK thing though, although both versions are used here.
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- I read somewhere that the story of the longbow is a mere affectation! not true at all apparently.. but it is a good tale nonetheless
  
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  by dea_ex_machina on July 4th, 2009
- Interesting, I hadn't heard that, though I did hear that many of the English archers on the day were struck with dysentry, and were naked from the waist down as they shot their arrows, and just went where they stood.....nice to fall into and slowly die if you were struck by the enemy....
  
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  by Sid on July 4th, 2009
- thanks for sharing
  
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  by Kewl Guy - has gone 360 on July 4th, 2009
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by engineer is Terminator on July 4th, 2009
Yes it's ,"Pluck Yew".
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- of course it is
  
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  by Kewl Guy - has gone 360 on July 4th, 2009
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by Millenium - The Mysterious M. . . GONE! on May 16th, 2009
Now. . . . ..THIS!!!!!!!!!!. . . .is a good question! I just don't have the answer! LOL LOL
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- thanks milenium! I try to keep them coming, with some substance!
  
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  by Kewl Guy - has gone 360 on May 16th, 2009
- thumbs up on THIS one, for sure!
  
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  by Millenium - The Mysterious M. . . GONE! on May 16th, 2009
- Well, now......here's something I never knew before and now that I know it, I feel compelled to send it on to my more intelligent friends in the hope that they, too, will feel edified. Isn't history more fun when you know something about it?
  
  Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers. Without the middle finger it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore they would be incapable of fighting in the future. This famous English longbow was made of the native English Yew tree, and the act of drawing the longbow was known as "plucking the yew" (or "pluck yew").
  
  Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major upset and began mocking the French by waving their middle fingers at the defeated French, saying, See, we can still pluck yew! Since 'pluck yew' is rather difficult to say, the difficult consonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed to a labiodentals fricative F', and thus the words often used in conjunction with the one-finger-salute! It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the arrows used with the longbow that the symbolic gesture is known as "giving the bird."
  
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  by Kewl Guy - has gone 360 on May 16th, 2009
- You are now one of my MOST favorite friends, Kewl! That is so neat to know! Oh! I love the education! Wonderful, wonderful! I wonder if our dear member, Wisdom Tooth, knows this. I must tell him about your answer! Thanks, Kewl!
  
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  by Millenium - The Mysterious M. . . GONE! on May 16th, 2009
- ahhh kewlguy - that is the same as the story of the two fingers that we use here. but apparently it is not true at all! It is, however, a lovely story and I wish it was true.. but there appears to be no evidence for it
  
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  by dea_ex_machina on July 4th, 2009
- http://www.forteantimes.com/strangedays/mythbusters/703/the_twofinger_salute.html
  
  http://british-dark-middle-ages.suite101.com/article.cfm/azincourt_agincourt_and_the_v_sign_remembered
  
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  by dea_ex_machina on July 4th, 2009
- Thank you for sharing this, dea!
  
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  by Millenium - The Mysterious M. . . GONE! on July 4th, 2009
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by GreekGoddess on May 15th, 2009
Yes, you can read up on it on Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_finger
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- thanks greekgoddess
  
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  by Kewl Guy - has gone 360 on May 16th, 2009
- My pleasure
  
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  by GreekGoddess on May 16th, 2009
- here's my take:
  
  Well, now......here's something I never knew before and now that I know it, I feel compelled to send it on to my more intelligent friends in the hope that they, too, will feel edified. Isn't history more fun when you know something about it?
  
  Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers. Without the middle finger it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore they would be incapable of fighting in the future. This famous English longbow was made of the native English Yew tree, and the act of drawing the longbow was known as "plucking the yew" (or "pluck yew").
  
  Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major upset and began mocking the French by waving their middle fingers at the defeated French, saying, See, we can still pluck yew! Since 'pluck yew' is rather difficult to say, the difficult consonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed to a labiodentals fricative F', and thus the words often used in conjunction with the one-finger-salute! It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the arrows used with the longbow that the symbolic gesture is known as "giving the bird."
  
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  by Kewl Guy - has gone 360 on May 16th, 2009
- "Pluck yew"...brilliant! =]
  Thanks for sharing =]
  
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  by GreekGoddess on May 16th, 2009
- welcome
  
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  by Kewl Guy - has gone 360 on May 16th, 2009
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by hedge-rider on April 5th, 2009
It is actually a gesture that dates back thousands of years - appearing in writing from Ancient Rome and Greece.

It is most likely a simple of the phallus (most likely where we get the modern day "f*ck you" meaning) or as a way to prevent agaisnt the "evil eye".

See here for more details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finger_(gesture)
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by Ryan Smith on April 5th, 2009
The gesture which is said to date back to Roman times is said by some psychologists to represent phallic aggressiveness.
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by adult101 on April 5th, 2009
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finger_(gesture)

AB is putting a space between gesture and ')'. A cut and paste of the link should work.
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- There is no article on this in Wikipedia at the current time.
  
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  by Koz - Passion Perseverance Patience on April 5th, 2009
- AB funks up links, make sure to add the trailing ")"
  
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  by The Special One on April 5th, 2009
- You can get round this by replacing ( with %28 and ) with %29
  
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  by Quirkie on April 6th, 2009
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by ConservativelyLiberal on October 17th, 2008
OK the way I heard it was this. In medievil times crossbow men were supposed to have used their middle fingers to fire. So when the french captured a battalion of english crossbow men they cut off their middle fingers to prevent them from being dangerous later. So in revenge, the english started to show their middle fingers to the french. At least that's what I was told.
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- English won the battle of Agincourtin and used to say we stil "pluck yew" waving their middle finger as native bows were made of "yew" tree wood.
  The word pluck was not easy to pronounce with a shouting voice and hence it was replaced by F*ck and eventually "yew" with you.
  
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  by engineer is Terminator on October 17th, 2008
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by engineer is Terminator on October 17th, 2008
Before the Battle of Agincourtin 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers. Without the middle finger it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore they would be incapable of fighting in the future. This famous English longbow was made of the native English Yew tree, and the act of drawing the longbow was known as "plucking the yew" (or "pluck yew").

Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major upset and began mocking the French by waving their middle fingers at the defeated French, saying, See, we can still pluck yew!

Since 'pluck yew' is rather difficult to say, the difficult consonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed to a labiodentals fricative F', and thus the words often used in conjunction with the one-finger-salute!

It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the arrows used with the longbow that the symbolic gesture is known as "giving the bird."

IT IS STILL AN APPROPRIATE SALUTE TO THE FRENCH TODAY!

And yew thought yew knew every plucking thing!
Comments
- Ahhhh, I thought you might have an answer like this, normally it is associated with the V sign, you put the two fingers you would use to draw the long bow up as an insult to the French. Unfortunatly, this is generally accepted as a myth and the true origin of both insults is still unknown.
  
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  by slothmister on October 17th, 2008
- Many things are unknown and some proven facts are made up in Hollywood California too.I guess you get what I am talking of.
  
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  by engineer is Terminator on October 18th, 2008
- Indeed. It is a nice story nonetheless :)
  
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  by slothmister on October 18th, 2008
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by neilychops on July 4th, 2009
Is it something to do with dinosaurs scratching their arses?
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- Aw c`mon it wasn`t that bad
  
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  by neilychops on July 4th, 2009
- it was horrible!
  
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  by Kewl Guy - has gone 360 on July 4th, 2009
- Technically it could be true.
  
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  by neilychops on July 4th, 2009
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by Badcube on July 4th, 2009
In Medieval times they used the middle finger as a form of a sexual lure so the male can give the maiden a proper finger banging.
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- I love it
  
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  by Kewl Guy - has gone 360 on July 4th, 2009
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by Sokoot on May 16th, 2009
Well i'm not sure about its history but isn't it obvious?!
Just stand in front of the mirror and show it to yourself!
doesn't it look like the package?!!
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- not really!!
  
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  by Kewl Guy - has gone 360 on May 16th, 2009
- Not really what?!
  
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  by Sokoot on May 17th, 2009
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by AK First Blitz on May 16th, 2009
Yes and it still applies to the point that you can get a ticket if the law sees you do it here.
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- thanks AK!
  
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  by Kewl Guy - has gone 360 on May 16th, 2009
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by alwayscurious on May 16th, 2009
No, I don't. +5
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- Well, now......here's something I never knew before and now that I know it, I feel compelled to send it on to my more intelligent friends in the hope that they, too, will feel edified. Isn't history more fun when you know something about it?
  
  Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers. Without the middle finger it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore they would be incapable of fighting in the future. This famous English longbow was made of the native English Yew tree, and the act of drawing the longbow was known as "plucking the yew" (or "pluck yew").
  
  Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major upset and began mocking the French by waving their middle fingers at the defeated French, saying, See, we can still pluck yew! Since 'pluck yew' is rather difficult to say, the difficult consonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed to a labiodentals fricative F', and thus the words often used in conjunction with the one-finger-salute! It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the arrows used with the longbow that the symbolic gesture is known as "giving the bird."
  
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  by Kewl Guy - has gone 360 on May 16th, 2009
- Okay thanks Kewl Guy....sure never knew any of that before.
  
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  by alwayscurious on May 16th, 2009
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by jin jang on April 5th, 2009
It was used in the Roman times and was called the "impudent finger".Thousands of years later it is used in the Mediterranean countries to ward off the "evil eye".It is also the longest finger and a phallic symbol.
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- Thousands of years later from the Roman times would be today. The Roman Empire was only founded in 27 BCE (so, technically, thousands - "s" denoting two or more - still won't occur until 2027 CE). I'm sure you just meant hundreds. It happens to me all the time.
  
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  by hedge-rider on April 6th, 2009
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by Capital J on April 5th, 2009
im no expert but ive read the other responses to this question and it sounds to me like a bunch of people commenting on shit they have no idea about. from personal experience. im a guy. and what does the middle finger mean?? fuck you!!!. if your fingering a girl. whats the best finger to use???? the middle. basically when your fingering a female your using the middle or index finger. thus i believ ethe midde finger means fuck you. cause if your gettinga girl off. ur using your middle finger to do it!!!!
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by ladyshakespeare on April 5th, 2009
it came with the invention of the english long bow. the middle finger was used to operate the bow. so, after a victory, they would wave thir middle finger to the enemy to rub in their loss.
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by sidrah on April 5th, 2009
Because this finger is use an indicator for going to bath room and it is cosider that not to good to tell everyone, "we are going to bath room".
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by Anonymous on April 5th, 2009
A variation on 'Your number one" is what I heard....
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by slothmister on October 17th, 2008
No, care to enlighten me?
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- My pleasure Slothmister.
  Due to low upload speed its not possible to post the comment.Instead I have posted and answer to my own question.
  Check it if you want.+5 for your interest.
  
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  by engineer is Terminator on October 17th, 2008
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by keithold is a prodigal bagger on May 16th, 2008
G'day Tattoomikey,

Thank you for your question.

It dates back to the Romans at last where it was known as the indecent finger. It may be a reference to the genitalia although its origins are speculative. There is an urban legend that it is associated with the Battle of Agincourt but this is incorrect.

I have attached sources for your reference.

Regards

Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_finger
The Straight Dope
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a980904.html
Answers.com
http://www.answers.com/topic/middle-finger-2?cat=health
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by DudeLer on June 3rd, 2008
there is a dvd out about the origin of the middle finger hand sign. it is by that fast talking sports entertainment manager who has that series on the television. i cant remember his name. the show is about him arranging commercial contracts for famous sports people. the real people are on the show. he has an office...and staff. maybe you remember, i cant remember, i would have to do research to find it. its something about the early wars with men who used bows and arrows to fight with, and so the other side captured the men and cut off their middle finger so they couldnt pull back the string of the bow. so in difiance the other men would show their middle finger to say that he still lived and would fight on.
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by sanrow on November 24th, 2010
Yes as Greek Goddess suggests wiki gives good information.It is obscene gesture.
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What's the origin of the use of showing the middle finger as an offensive gesture?

Answers. 27 helpful answers below.

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